Best, worst-case scenarios for BYU, Utah and USU basketball

As a new college basketball season dawns, BYU, Utah and USU fans dream of what their teams could accomplish in 2013-14. These fans hope to see their team dominate in conference, win against in-state rivals and make a deep run in the NCAA tournament come March.

Of course, dreams don't always come true. Sometimes, seasons turn out to be complete nightmares. Take BYU's 1-25 season in 1996-97 as a perfect example of how bad things can be.

So, what are the best- and worst-case scenarios for the Cougars, Utes and Aggies headed into the season?

*Note: These are not predictions — they’re exaggerated and fictional scenarios.

BYU best-case scenario

BYU immediately grabs national attention after beating Stanford on the road during the ESPN Tip-Off Marathon. The Cougars win a thriller against Iowa State in the Marriott Center and roll past Texas in the College Basketball Experience Hall of Fame Classic to face Wichita State in the finals. However, BYU can't quite hang with the Shockers — the Cougars fall on a buzzer-beater.

Head coach Dave Rose uses this loss as a motivator and BYU destroys Utah State at EnergySolutions Arena.

Then against archrival Utah, Tyler Haws pulls a Jimmer and drops 42 points on the Utes. BYU fans start chanting, "You got Haws-ed!" ESPN and the rest of the national sports media pick up on it. Ute fans have to watch Haws' phenomenal game over and over on all the major networks.

The Cougars then head into Oregon and move to 3-0 against the Pac-12. BYU is an unstoppable force in the WCC as the Cougars finish 15-1, their lone loss coming at Gonzaga on Jan. 25. BYU wins the regular-season title and rolls through the WCC tournament to earn a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Then, coach Rose and the Cougars roll to the Elite Eight before falling out of the tournament, and they are the only in-state team to go to the Big Dance.

The Pac-12 calls and tries to get BYU to replace Utah in basketball. Rose wins Coach of the Year and Haws narrowly misses out on Player of the Year, but he's a leading candidate headed in 2014-15.

*Note: These are not predictions — they’re exaggerated and fictional scenarios.

BYU worst-case scenario

BYU falls flat against Stanford. Kyle Collinsworth is rusty after his two-year LDS mission, and Eric Mika struggles to make the transition to college. Haws does well, but Matt Carlino's consistency struggles continue.

Haws tries to put the team on his shoulders, but the Cougars simply can't compete with Iowa State, Texas and DePaul. Utah State also has the Cougars' number as the Aggies embarrass BYU at EnergySolutions Arena.

The bottom falls out of BYU's season as its trip to Utah ends in disaster. Jubilant Ute fans chant, "Just like football!" Haws is injured, and BYU's lack of depth at guard becomes woefully clear as the Cougars have no one to replace him.

The demoralized Cougars struggle in WCC play as Gonzaga and Saint Mary's both sweep BYU. San Francisco and Loyola both stun the Cougars and BYU falls to No. 4 in the WCC.

The Cougars are the only in-state team to not make the NCAA tournament, and BYU misses the postseason for the first time since coach Rose came to Provo. Rose decides that it's time to focus on his health and family and retires after this disappointing season, while Haws transfers to a team where he isn't expected to carry the program.

*Note: These are not predictions — they’re exaggerated and fictional scenarios.

Utah best-case scenario

The Utes vow to make the Pac-12 regret picking them No. 9 at media days despite apparently shrugging it off at the time. Jordan Loveridge builds on his solid freshman season and averages more than 20 points per game. Utah rolls through an admittedly weak non-conference schedule, which includes a decent road win over Boise State.

Then, BYU comes to town and Utah stuns the Cougars in dramatic fashion. National media outlets take notice and start asking if Utah is for real. Celebrating Ute fans chant, "Just like football!" over their defeated rivals.

Larry Krystkowiak uses the win over BYU to build Utah's confidence headed into Pac-12 play. This extra confidence pays off as the Utes stun Oregon and Oregon State. The Utes continue to impress as they rise through the conference and prove that they belong at the next level.

While Utah can't win the Pac-12, the Utes pull off a monster upset over Arizona at home. The Utes finish third in the conference behind Arizona and UCLA and pick up a No. 5 seed. Utah makes it to the Sweet 16 before dropping out.

Excitement for the next season jumps through the roof as this is still a young team. Plus, Ute fans have one more thing to hold over BYU as the Cougars miss the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row.

*Note: These are not predictions — they’re exaggerated and fictional scenarios.

Utah worst-case scenario

While the Utes dominate against weak non-conference foes, the first sign of trouble comes when Utah leaves the Huntsman Center for the first time in the season against Boise State. The young Utes can't take the hostile atmosphere and lose their first game of the season.

Utah manages to beat Fresno State and Idaho State and hope for the best as it prepares for archrival BYU. The Utes worry as BYU won the College Basketball Experience Hall of Fame Classic.

Utah has no answer for Tyler Haws, who drops 42 points on the Utes. Utah fans file out of the Huntsman Center at halftime, leaving BYU fans having a good time.

Krystkowiak struggles to re-motivate his team as the Utes head into Pac-12 play. Oregon destroys the demoralized Utes, and the season quickly turns into a nightmare.

The Utes finish dead last in the Pac-12 and watch with disgust as BYU makes its first Final Four run in school history. The Pac-12 places Utah on probation and threatens to invite BYU in its place if the program doesn't shape up.

*Note: These are not predictions — they’re exaggerated and fictional scenarios.

Utah State best-case scenario

After losing four starters to injury last season, Utah State doesn't have a single season-ending injury all year as compensation for what happened last season. With Preston Medlin, Danny Berger and Spencer Butterfield all healthy, the Aggies are a force to be reckoned with. Also, Jarred Shaw moves from being an All-WAC player to an All-MWC player.

The Aggies destroy USC in the season opener and dominate Mississippi State at home. Then, they prove that they're nobody's "little brother" as they dismantle BYU at EnergySolutions Arena.

USU starts 5-0 in the MWC before falling to UNLV on the road. However, Stew Morrill coaches his team up to beat San Diego State. The Aggies then play out of their minds to upset a ranked New Mexico squad at home.

The Aggies finish third in the conference behind New Mexico and UNLV, but they make an incredible run in the MWC Championship and claim the automatic bid to the Big Dance. They pick up a No. 6 seed and even make it to the Sweet Sixteen before falling out.

Utah State establishes itself as the best team in the state as BYU and Utah fail to even make the NCAA tournament. The Aggies rise in the next season to become the best team in the most solid conference in the west, much to the Pac-12's shame.

*Note: These are not predictions — they’re exaggerated and fictional scenarios.

Utah State worst-case scenario

Inexplicably, the injury bug bites the Aggies hard for the second season in a row as USU loses three starters before MWC play begins. Two of them go out in USU's season opener against USC.

And it's all downhill from here.

Utah State falls to both the Trojans and Mississippi State, and BYU blows the Aggies out at EnergySolutions. Morrill tries to pick up the pieces after that difficult loss, but the damage has already been done.

New Mexico, UNLV, SDSU and Boise State all sweep the wounded Aggies and Utah State drops games to Fresno State and Colorado State to finish seventh in the MWC. The Aggies don't make it through the first round of the MWC tournament and watch with envy as both BYU and Utah make deep runs in the NCAA.

Utah State takes out an insurance policy on each of its starters headed into 2014-15.

*Note: These are not predictions — they’re exaggerated and fictional scenarios.